Kata

A kata is a choreographed sequence of karate techniques performed solo against imaginary opponents — blocks, strikes, stances, and turns flowing in a fixed pattern.

Each style has its own catalog of katas of increasing complexity, learned step by step as the student climbs through kyu and dan ranks. Shotokan famously teaches Heian (Pinan) katas first, then Tekki, Bassai, Kanku, and so on. Katas are both a memory vault for techniques and a solo way to train timing, breathing, and kiai.